China races Europe to green

“We are now formulating a plan for development of renewable energy. We can be sure we will exceed the 15% target. We will at least reach 18%. Personally I think we could reach the target of having renewables provide 20% of total energy consumption.”

This would surpass the goal that Europe has set out for 2020, which is even more impressive given how much more China pollutes. And don’t doubt the Chinese — they already invest more in renewables than does Europe, and they’re way ahead on that whole banning plastic bags thing, which they did over a year ago.

Maybe Japan — whose paltry proposed emissions cuts left the UN’s climate head “lost for words” — can be spurred to more ambitious targets by its mainland neighbor…